‘It’s big, obviously a lot nicer than last couple of years to be on top 1-0 instead of going through a whole road trip without a win again,’ said Lester, citing the Red Sox’ 1-5 start to begin the 2012 season. ‘Big for us to come in here and, like I talked about yesterday, get on a roll and set the tone early for us.’

Lester didn’t display the dominance of a spring training that included giving up just two earned runs in 24 regulation innings, striking out 20 and walking just four. But, other than a rocky, two-run fourth inning, the lefty did resemble the pitcher of 2008-2011, rather than ‘12.

The Red Sox’ starter finished his first outing of the season allowing two runs on five hits, striking out seven and walking two over five innings.

‘I felt good. I had good fastball command, good cutter today. Just really didn’t have anything else,’ Lester said. ‘Took me until the fifth inning to get a feel for a curveball or a changeup, and just really had to battle with my fastball and cutter. With that being said, I’m really pleased with the outcome with those pitches. It was good.’

Lester finished throwing 96 pitches (63 strikes), in large part due to a 34-pitch fourth inning. It was in that frame the lefty started showing some cracks.

The Yankees led off the fourth with a Kevin Youkilis double, with was followed with Vernon Wells’ walk. The hosts loaded the bases on Ichiro Suzuki‘s single. Then, after a Jayson Nix strikeout, Francisco Cervelli ripped a single down the left field line, plating a pair to cut the Red Sox’ lead in half.

To Lester’s credit, he came back and got Brett Gardner to line out to right field for the inning’s final out before getting two more strikeouts in a scoreless fifth.

‘With the exception of that fourth inning, where he threw 34 pitches, I thought he came out and command the strike zone down,’ Farrell said. ‘But the lengthy inning, I thought, started to catch up to him a little bit, and after 96-plus pitches after five I felt like it was time to turn the game over to the bullpen. I thought Jon did bend, but didn’t break in that two-run inning. I think more than anything it was a good starting point for him.’

Lester’s catcher, Jarrod Saltalmacchia, agreed with his manager’s assessment, stressing the importance of getting the team’s ace out on the right foot.

‘He looked good,’ Saltalamacchia said of Lester, who didn’t get a win in ‘12 until his fourth start of the season. ‘Real downward angle with his fastball, mixing in the offspeed stuff. Made some big pitches when he needed to. But all in all, just staying down, keeping it aggressive ‘¦ and off balance.

‘I mean it’s important to all of us, not just Jon. We all feel for him. We all feel for what he’s been through the past year and we know that’s not him. We know that he’s the guy you saw today. It’s nice to see him out there just throwing like he always has.’